35 Recipes to Make With a Bag of Frozen Broccoli 

February 11, 2019
Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Can your weeknight dinners use a little more green? Keeping frozen broccoli on hand makes it easy to whip up a delicious and nutrient-filled meal on the fly. Roasted, steamed, or sautéed, frozen broccoli is the star ingredient in these convenient weeknight recipes. 
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One-Pan Broccoli-Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
One-Pan Broccoli-Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese Recipe

Butternut squash puree enhances the color here without distracting from the cheesy flavor, and it sneaks in another serving of vegetables. If you can't find frozen butternut puree, swap in an equal amount of mashed sweet potato or canned unsweetened pumpkin.

$8.15 for six servings

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Broccoli and Beef with Oyster Sauce

Photo: Romulo Yanes
Broccoli and Beef with Oyster Sauce Recipe

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Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Cindy Barr    
Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe

A traditional creamy chicken casserole can have more than 800 calories per serving! Try our lightened up version that offers great flavor without all the calories.

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Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini

Caitlin Bensel
Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini Recipe

This is a great go-to pasta recipe that you can whip up in a pinch with essentially whatever you have on hand. You can try swapping the shrimp for white beans to turn the lemony seafood pasta into a vibrant vegetarian entrée.

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Bucatini Aglio e Olio

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Karen Rankin; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Bucatini Aglio e Olio Recipe

Dinner doesn’t get much simpler than this classic, garlicky pasta dish. Especially awesome for those weeks when you just can’t seem to make it to the grocery store, aglio e olio is easy to whip up with just a handful of pantry staples. You can definitely use spaghetti noodles instead of bucatini, but consider picking up a box of bucaini to try next time you go shopping. The noodle's hollow shape offers a texture (not to mention, sauce-gripping abilities) that we just love. We opted to jazz the dish up with the addition of broccoli florets, but if you have a different frozen green veggie kicking around the freezer, like sweet peas, or even a bag of spinach in the crisper, feel free to use what you’ve got instead. Or, hey, leave the veggie out altogether—this dish was designed to be flexible and delicious with whatever you have on hand. That said, if you have a block of Parmesan in the fridge, feel free to grate some over top of the hot pasta before serving. 

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Broccoli-Bacon Skillet Pizza

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower
Broccoli-Bacon Skillet Pizza Recipe

Microwave-in-bag fresh vegetables help this meal come together lickety-split. A hot cast-iron skillet helps to crisp the bottom of the crust while the surface gets golden brown under the broiler--no baking required.

 

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Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup 

Photo: Antara Sinha; Food Styling: Briana Riddock
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup  Recipe

This copycat version of Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup makes the fan-favorite dish easy to enjoy anytime. Plus, this simple-to-follow recipe rivals the original in terms of flavor, and at a fraction of the cost. The roux (a thickening base made of flour and butter) is used to create the soup’s signature smooth, rich consistency. The addition of turmeric brightens the natural yellow tint of this cheesy soup and adds a subtle depth of flavor. Meanwhile, the white pepper and ground nutmeg lend the soup a gentle warmth that balances out the richness of the dairy ingredients. The chicken broth and cheddar cheese provide a good amount of saltiness in this recipe, but be sure to give it a taste before serving, and stir in an additional pinch of salt if desired.       

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Kung Pao Chicken

Randy Mayor
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Homemade Chinese food is a tasty and delicious way to save money in your food budget.  This classic kung pao chicken is ready in just 30 minutes.

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Broccoli-and-Bacon Muffin-Tin Frittatas

Photography: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr.
Broccoli-and-Bacon Muffin-Tin Frittatas Recipe

This easy make-ahead breakfast will have you set for the week. You get two mini frittatas per serving for only 168 calories; pair with a piece of fruit for a satisfying breakfast. Store cooked frittatas in the fridge for up to four days.

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Charred Orange-Chile Broccoli

Caitlin Bensel
Charred Orange-Chile Broccoli Recipe

Roasting brings out the sweet flavor of broccoli while adding a pleasant bitter note. The mildly spicy soy-orange sauce brings it all into balance. Taking the extra step to remove the woody outer layer from the broccoli stems makes the entire floret tender. Look for Asian chile-garlic sauce with other Asian flavorings and condiments.

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Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup Recipe

We like our version extra chunky, so we only puree about a third of the broccoli mixture in step 3. For a thinner, smoother consistency, add more soup to the blender.

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Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ranch Chicken Calzones

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Claire Spollen
Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ranch Chicken Calzones Recipe

Why order delivery, when you can make pizza at home? Put down that phone right now and bake up a mouthwatering, cheesy broccoli and ranch calzones tonight.

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Cheesy Sausage, Broccoli, and Quinoa Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen 
Cheesy Sausage, Broccoli, and Quinoa Casserole Recipe

We traded white rice for whole-grain quinoa and kicked out any processed ingredients for a new take on this comfort classic. Freeze an extra pan of this whole-grain main for kid-friendly comfort. To add more flavor to quinoa, try toasting it. Here's how: After you've rinsed and drained the quinoa, heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the quinoa. Toast, stirring, until the grains begin to smell fragrant. Then, add the water and cook as normal. 

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Chubba Bubba's Broccoli Salad

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Amy Burke
Chubba Bubba's Broccoli Salad Recipe

This easy version of broccoli salad features frozen broccoli plus cauliflower and chopped carrot for added color and crispness.

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Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Photo: Rob Culpepper; Food Styling:Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Broccoli with Cheese Sauce Recipe

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce image

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Broccoli Cornbread Muffins

Broccoli Cornbread Muffins Recipe
This Southern-style cornbread is blissfully easy to prepare thanks to a few store-bought ingredients like frozen broccoli and corn muffin mix. Make this cornbread muffin recipe for an easy barbecue side or a festive dinner bread.

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Broccoli-and-Cauliflower Gratin

Broccoli-and-Cauliflower Gratin Recipe

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Baked Broccoli Ravioli

Photo: Con Poulos
Baked Broccoli Ravioli Recipe
Bill Telepan's fresh free-form ravioli are filled with broccoli and cheese, then boiled and baked until crisp at the edges.
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Broccoli, Pancetta, and Parmesan Frittata

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Claire Spollen
Broccoli, Pancetta, and Parmesan Frittata Recipe
Baked frittatas are like overstuffed omelets that you don't have to worry about flipping. To save time, you can microwave the broccoli florets in a covered microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.

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Cheesy Baked Shells and Broccoli

Photo: Anna Williams; Styling: Anna Last
Cheesy Baked Shells and Broccoli Recipe

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Spaghetti with Creamy Broccoli Pesto

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Spaghetti with Creamy Broccoli Pesto Recipe

Spaghetti with Creamy Broccoli Pesto is great for kids—especially since they don't have to know it's full of good-for-them broccoli.

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Shrimp and Broccoli Scampi

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Cindy Barr 
Shrimp and Broccoli Scampi Recipe
Don't skip the cornstarch mixture here--it helps the garlicky sauce cling to the pasta.

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Fried Rice with Broccoli and Eggs

Karry Hosford
Fried Rice with Broccoli and Eggs Recipe
Stir-frying rice is a great way to turn leftover rice into a quick and easy meal. It's important that the rice is cold so it won't become sticky while cooking; the oil coats the chilled grains and prevents clumping.

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Broccoli Bread

Randy Mayor; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Broccoli Bread Recipe
Savory with a touch of sweetness, Broccoli Bread cooks up like cornbread but offers fiber and calcium. It works well as a side dish, especially on soup night.
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Pasta with Chickpeas and Broccoli

Pasta with Chickpeas and Broccoli Recipe

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Broccoli & Feta Omelet with Toast

Jim Bathie
Broccoli & Feta Omelet with Toast Recipe

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Broccoli-and- Cheese-Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Broccoli-and- Cheese-Stuffed Baked Potatoes Recipe
Baked potatoes are ideal side dishes for a crowd. You can prep them early, get them in the oven, then set up a buffet of toppings for guests to choose from. For these broccoli-topped spuds, you may want to offer a bowl of sour cream.
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Spicy Cavatelli with Broccoli

Spicy Cavatelli with Broccoli Recipe

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Broccoli-Tofu Stir-Fry

Randy Mayor; Melanie J. Clarke
Broccoli-Tofu Stir-Fry Recipe
This simple meatless stir-fry of broccoli and tofu has a subtle yet addictive sauce. To cut preparation time, use precut broccoli florets. They're near the salad greens in the supermarkets.

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Broccoli and Feta Frittata

Photo: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Lynn Miller
Broccoli and Feta Frittata Recipe
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Queso-Broccoli Potato Chowder

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Jan Gautro
Queso-Broccoli Potato Chowder Recipe

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Broccoli-and-Cheddar Mini Quiches

Broccoli-and-Cheddar Mini Quiches Recipe
Who needs a pie pan or pastry dough when you've got muffin tins? This quiche recipe combines the standard custard mixture with steamed broccoli and cheddar cheese baked into muffin-sized mini quiches. These are the perfect breakfast treats for your little ones—especially if you have a daily broccoli battle on your hands!

Little quiches fit perfectly in little hands. Best of all, they can be served for any meal of the day. If you're feeling brave, try adding other fresh vegetables or leftover meat to this recipe.

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Orecchiette with Broccoli, Tomatoes and Sausage

Photo: Kate Sears
Orecchiette with Broccoli, Tomatoes and Sausage Recipe
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Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup

Oxmoor House
Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Traditional broccoli cheese soups often have more than 16 grams of fat and 2,000 milligrams of sodium per serving. This soup offers a healthier alternative without sacrificing the delicious flavor. If the broccoli florets are large, break them into smaller pieces at the stalk instead of chopping them; they'll cook more quickly. Thin the soup with milk if needed when reheating.

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